Colored Scribbles
by Whimsical Fool
Summary: Just a collection of one-shots. CH03: Sometimes, Kuroko takes too much on himself but luckily, he has someone looking out for him.
1. NavyPeach: Future Career

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own _Kuroko no Basuke_.

_Summary_: Aomine helps Momoi decide her future career.

* * *

The tanned male knew that he was dense as a brick when it came to reading people. He paled in comparison to his former shadow, but with one look at the girl lying on the bed, he immediately knew there was something occupying her mind.

How could he not? They have been childhood friends ever since they were young, went to school together, and endured many battles together. After all of that, how could he not read her like an open book?

Usually, she would be brooding over his former shadow but the sighs coming out of her mouth noted otherwise.

"Oi, Satsuki," he hollered from the doorway as he made his way to the small table in the middle of her room. "Stop sulking and help me with my homework." He placed the tray of snacks and drinks on the table before settling to sit cross-legged on the ground. "Oi."

The peach-haired girl directed her attention away from the ceiling and gave Aomine a quick glare before tossing the pillow in her arms aside. Instead of getting off of the bed, she resorted to rolling back and forth on her bed to let out her frustration, which further crumpled the bed sheets beneath her.

"Satsuki."

Momoi continued to ignore him as she rolled on the bed.

"I'm going to look through your drawers."

"Wh–!" Before she could yell at her childhood friend, she fell off the bed with a thud with her face making contact with the ground. Her eyebrows furrowed together as a rush of pain rushed over her face and chest. She rubbed her nose as she sat up right. "Don't go through my drawers, you pervert."

Aomine rolled his eyes as he climbed over the table and took her head into his large hand. He ignored the glare as he tilted her head to the right and then to the left for any injuries. Seeing that they were none, he pulled away but not before flicking her in the forehead. "That threat is not going to stop me."

Momoi glared at her tanned friend as she sat against the side of her bed. "I'm not going to lend you my notes anymore."

Aomine shrugged as he snatched her notes before she could. "That never stopped me before."

Momoi almost growled at him but decided not to. She was not in a good mood and he was not helping her situation, not one bit.

Aomine sat back down and eyed the girl before opening up a booklet. "So what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," she said too quickly but she buried her face into a textbook before Aomine could question her. She forced her attention on the chemical equations in the book, missing the slight worry in her friend's eyes.

"I see…" Aomine rolled his eyes at her response and decided to let it rest until later. He then flipped through Momoi's notes, skimming through them. He then fumbled through his school bag for his homework assignment. Taking the packet out, he picked up a pencil and started to scribble in answers and on occasion, his eyes trailed back to the notes.

Instead of the usual bicker, silence was exchanged between the two. The sounds of pages turning and the occasional sound of Aomine growling at his homework when his pencil broke could be heard.

Momoi looked up from her textbook and looked at the picture frame, sitting idly on her night table.

Basketball season was finally over for the both of them, since they were both third years. There would be no more playing basketball against their former teammates. Ever since they were first years, the Generation of Miracles had settled their problems with each other and decided to put in their all for their remaining years. To her surprise, none of them followed the path of basketball but rather a path with a more solid foundation.

Ki-chan was becoming a pilot. Midorin was becoming a doctor. Mukkun was becoming a pastry chef. Akashi-kun was becoming a professional shogi player, though she vaguely remembered someone telling her that he was entering business. Kagamin was becoming a firefighter. Tetsu-kun was becoming a teacher, which one, she was not sure. Even her basketball-obsessed childhood friend was aiming to become a policeman. As for her, she did not know what to do.

"Satsuki, you've been staring at the picture for a while now. What's up?"

Momoi whipped her attention back to Aomine, who was lying on the ground, flipping through her notes before looking up at her. She averted his gaze but she found herself looking back at him. Finally, she gave in, sighing. "Do you think it would be alright if I put down I want to become a policewoman?"

Aomine sighed as he sat back up. So it was about that. "I can't see why not. You're pretty persistent and you'll look pretty hot in a uniform."

Momoi show Aomine a glare. "I'm being serious here. We have to turn those sheets next week and I still haven't decided on what I want to become. Clearly, I can't put down _I want to follow Aomine-kun_."

"Ah, that would be weird if your teacher read that. He would think that you're a stalker or something."

"Dai-chan!"

Aomine raised his hands in the air as he looked away from his friend. "I know, I know. Calm down."

Momoi let out a mutter before crossing her arms under her chest. "How can I when you're joking around?"

"Fine, I get it. So you don't know what you want to become?"

Momoi nodded.

"Well, you're an analyst. You're pretty damn stubborn when it comes to people you care about… I can't really see a career for you outside of sports, so how about you become a physical therapist?"

Momoi blinked a couple of times, trying to comprehend what her friend just told her. "A physical therapist?"

"Yeah, like they help people, right? Like you can put your skills to use and see how their rehab goes and decide what be best for that person to become better. You don't necessarily have to help athletes but you can regular people too." When Aomine was done talking, he was slightly disturbed by the look on his friend's face. "What?"

Momoi broke away from her awe and ran over to Aomine, tackling him into a hug. "Ah, thank you, Dai-chan!"

Even if he did not know why she was happy, she was glad that she had someone who could understand her traits so easily. This was one aspect that her Dai-chan could never be beaten in. He could read her just like she could read him. She could not imagine a life without him. That did not mean she would fall in love with him, but she was not going to admit that the thought had arisen.

Aomine was clearly confused but it seemed he helped her with her problem. He would never admit it but he owed Momoi a lot for putting up with him for the past three years. Slowly, he hugged her back before pushing her away. "Okay, now that's over, help me with my homework. I'm stuck on this problem."

Momoi sighed as she released him from a hug, smacking him lightly on the arm. "You had to ruin the moment, huh?"

"Hey, I'm trying to become a policeman. I need all the help I can get before those damn exams."

Momoi rolled her eyes as she sat next to Aomine, but that how he was. "Fine, show me where you're stuck."


	2. NavyRed: Assurance

_Summary_: AU, Akashi sent Kuroko out to spy on their enemies but Aomine catches wind of the plan.

**19.08.2012** I decided to create a separate story for this oneshot. It's called Carmine.

* * *

Waves of deafening rain pounded against the wooden cabin as thunder roared overhead while streaks of lightning ran across the sky. The wild winds took a hold of the trees and played them like puppets, moving them to bend to their will. It was needless to say that it was a storm no one dared to venture in, thus forcing the young men in the room to rest for the night before executing their charge into enemy lines.

The brittle wooden door was slammed open, startling some of the residents inside the small cabin. Some had their hands over their weapons while others plainly watched to see who dared enter their adobe.

The door was slowly closed, leaving a creak into its place. The individual stepped closer to the light, showing a muscular, tanned body soaked to the skin. Dark blue eyes darted back and forth from person to person, adjusting to the light until they landed on a pair of heterochromatic eyes.

"Aomine, you should at least–" Before the bespectacled man could finish, Aomine was already walking toward Akashi with a deadly glare.

"You," Aomine growled as he picked up Akashi by the collar. "Why the hell did you let him go in this damn weather!" Seeing that the redhead was looking off the side, not making eye contact with him, Aomine shook the redhead harshly, until they met eye to eye.

The redhead merely looked at the frown on his friend's face before sighing to the side. "He owed me a favor," Akashi replied, ignoring the fact that he was slowly having trouble to breathe.

"But he's the weakest out of all of us."

"But he's the only one suitable for this."

Aomine flared at Akashi's words, tossing the redhead back into his seat before grabbing something to dry himself off.

"Akashi, you sent Kuroko out in this weather?" Midorima knew only one person could get Aomine so worked up over one person's welfare. "You know it could mean death."

Aomine bit his bottom lip, not wanting to lash out at anyone for the moment. He was already shortening his lifespan by going against Akashi.

The redhead shrugged in response before leaning back in his seat. "He was the one who wanted to go. Who am I to deny his wishes?"

Aomine rolled his eyes at Akashi's words before taking off his wet clothes. "Some cousin you are."

The redhead merely smiled. "Tetsuya will not fail me. He never does."

Aomine gave a side glance before pulling on a new shirt. "He better not die or I'll have your throat." Even if he said it nonchalantly, it was a threat nonetheless.

"Aomine, are you stupid or something? You do know that you're threatening the heir to the thr–" But Midorima stopped when Akashi got out of his seat and walked to the door. "Akashi?"

The redhead turned around and waited until the tanned male looked him in the eye. "You're lucky that Tetsuya likes you. If not, then your head would have rolled a long time ago."

Before Aomine could say anything, Akashi already pulled his hood over his head and pulled the door open, entering the storm.

Midorima sighed before walking up to Aomine, inspecting the man for any visible wounds. "You're an imbecile, you know that?"

Aomine ignored Midorima, swatting the man's hand away.

Maybe Akashi was not as cruel as he seems. Those words he muttered before breaking out into the storm. It was those words that made Aomine think that he was right in following the redhead.

_I won't let him die. _


	3. BlackTree: Big Brother

_Summary_: Sometimes, Kuroko takes too much on himself but luckily, he has someone looking out for him.

* * *

Kuroko felt frustrated with himself. Despite all his talk of wanting to show the Generation of Miracles his basketball, he ultimately lost the Winter Cup. Despite his injury, Kise just surpassed that barrier and actually entered the zone. Kuroko did not know if he should feel glad for his teammate or envy that the blond managed pul such a feat.

Kuroko was lying down in the middle of the court, feeling the cool wood against his sweat-coated skin. Practice had ended a while ago and everyone had already left, but he felt like he needed to be on the court. He needed this time for himself.

Despite all his talk of helping Kagami defeating the Generation of Miracles, they were unable to beat Kaijou at the Winter Cup. Kise turned out to be much more than a simple challenge. The blond was practically oozing talent and effort on the court.

Kuroko sighed as he sat up cross-legged with his head hanging low. Next year was his senpais' last year, well, almost all of them.

"Kuroko?"

The shadow lifted his head and was slightly surprised to see his senpai squatting in front of him. The shock in his eyes went away as fast as he got back up on his feet. "Hello, Kiyoshi-senpai."

"You're still down about the Winter Cup, huh…" Kiyoshi got up from the ground and followed the first year out of the gym and into the locker room.

Kuroko said nothing as he pulled two towels from his bag and ventured into the showers.

Kiyoshi merely looked in amusement as he waited next to Kuroko's bag, fumbling with the deck of cards in his hands. "Kuroko, don't you think you're being too hard on yourself?"

Kuroko had stepped out of the showers with a towel wrapped around his waist as he ran the other towel through his wet hair. "I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"It's like you're trying to take care of everyone but yourself."

"What are you trying to say?" Kuroko had a faint idea where this conversation was headed with the slightest glint of anger in his eyes but it went away since what Kiyoshi was saying was the truth.

Kiyoshi noticed the forced tone in Kuroko's voice before continuing. "You told Kagami-kun that you'll help him become number one. You're helping Seirin beat the Generation of Miracles. You want to change the Generation of Miracles with your style of basketball. So tell me, how are you helping yourself?"

Kuroko dropped the towel in his hand into his bag. "I… I don't know." He pulled out a set of dry clothes and started to put them on. "But I want to accomplish what I'm doing first."

"Kuroko, are you sure you've moved on from Teikou? From what I'm seeing, it's like the underdog is trying to beat everyone who's superior to him. Winning is everything, no?"

"That's the only way to convince them…" Kuroko was struggling to think clearly. Clearly, he resigned from Teikou because he could not abide to their policies, but maybe it was more engraved in him than he though.

"I see. So when you played against your former teammate, the blond one, did that tell you nothing?"

Kuroko sighed as he sat down to Kiyoshi on the bench, tossing his towel over his neck. "Are you saying that I've done enough?"

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that winning is not everything. Winning might cause people to think differently, but people can change through a game as well. The opposite team may have won, but some may change their mindsets by a bit just by seeing you play on the court."

"How can you say that?"

"Well, you can say that you influenced me. I used to think that I had to risk everything; even my body to help you guys win, but seeing you play that hard for me, made me regret some of my decisions. I wish I could have played longer with you guys."

Kuroko's words were stuck in his throat. Was it always that difficult to have a heart to heart talk with someone else?

Kiyoshi sighed but a small smile appeared on his face. "Well, let's go get something to eat. You're hungry, aren't you?" He got up on his foot and placed a hand in front of Kuroko. "What do you say?"

Kuroko looked at the hand and then at his senpai. Slowly, he grabbed a hold of the hand and was not surprised to be pulled up for the bench. Kuroko sighed in resignation as he grabbed his bag and rushed after Kiyoshi.

* * *

When they were outside, it was awkward with just the two but Kuroko felt a bit closer to his senpai. "Um, Kiyoshi-senpai?"

"Yeah?" Kiyoshi was walking in front of Kuroko, trying to pick out a place to eat at.

"Thank you… It's nice to know that there's someone looking out for me." Kuroko looked down at the sidewalk, wondering just what his senpai was to him. "I guess you're that big brother I never had." A small smile appeared on the shadow's face before it was wiped off by the sudden hug he was engulfed in.

Kiyoshi did not know what made him act the way he did, but he was glad that the most quiet member on the team, next to Mitobe, saw him as a brother. "I have to tell Riko and Hyuuga about this. I have to tell everyone about this."

Kuroko sighed but did not stop his senpai from texting their other teammates. Yup, Kiyoshi-senpai was definitely the brother he never had, that overbearing, caring older brother.


End file.
